"And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers." — Ephesians 4:11
Anglicans keep the historic threefold ministry received from the earliest centuries of the Church: bishops, priests (presbyters) and deacons — ordained in apostolic succession. This historic episcopate is one of the four cornerstones of Anglican identity (the Lambeth Quadrilateral), alongside Scripture, the creeds and the two dominical sacraments.
How the Church Is Ordered
- The Archbishop — The Most Rev. Dr. Jackson Ole Sapit, Primate of the Anglican Church of Kenya, presiding over the provincial synod from All Saints’ Cathedral, Nairobi.
- The Diocesan Bishop — The Rt. Rev. Gadiel Katanga Lenini, Bishop of Kajiado — chief pastor of our diocese; ordains clergy and confirms the baptized.
- The Archdeaconry — St. Peter’s belongs to the Ongata Rongai Archdeaconry, led by an Archdeacon.
- The Parish — led by the Vicar-in-Charge, with licensed lay readers (who may preach and lead services), church wardens, and the elected Parish Church Council (PCC).
- Every Member — ministry is not the clergy’s alone: every baptized Christian is called to serve through the ministries and fellowships of the parish.
The Wider Communion
Through the ACK we belong to the worldwide Anglican Communion — some 85 million Christians in over 165 countries, in communion with the See of Canterbury. We are also in fellowship with sister churches across Kenya through the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK).